From lion to leopard: 11 big cats in the world

Scientific Name: Panthera tigris

• Tigers are the largest wild cats in the world, with unique stripe patterns like human fingerprints. More tigers are kept as pets than live in the wild.They are also top notch swimmers.

Scientific Name: Panthera leo

• Lions are the second largest wild cat in the world. Their roars can be heard up to five miles away. Female lions do most of the hunting & live longer than male lions.

Scientific Name: Panthera onca

• Jaguars are the largest cat in North and South America. and are known for their powerful jaws. It is the third largest and heaviest wild cat species.

Scientific Name: Puma concolor

• Cougars are also known as mountain lions or pumas. It is the second heaviest big cat. Cougars are more closely related to domestic cats than to lions. There are over 30 different subspecies of cougar.

Scientific Name: Panthera pardus

• Leopards are excellent climbers and can carry prey twice their weight. They climb trees with speed and agility.

Scientific Name: Acinonyx jubatus

• Cheetahs are the fastest land animal. They generally hunt during the day, unlike lions and leopards. Cheetahs have poor night vision but can spot prey up to three miles away during the day.

Scientific Name: Panthera uncia

• Snow leopards can leap up to seven times their body length, & their wide, furry feet act as snowshoes. Snow leopards are endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. They can kill prey three times its weight.

Scientific Name: Neofelis nebulosa

• Clouded leopards are excellent climbers with long canine-like teeth. They are considered an evolutionary link between big and small wild cats.

Scientific Name: Lynx lynx

• Eurasian lynxes have large paws that act as snowshoes in winter. They are excellent swimmers and climbers. They are carnivores that hunt deer, rabbits, hares, birds, and other small mammals.

Scientific Name: Lynx rufus

• Bobcats are adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats across North America. They are smaller than Eurasian lynxes but have similar hunting habits.

Scientific Name: Caracal caracal

• Caracals are related to the African golden cat. They have 20 different muscles in their ears. They are capable climbers as well. They have excellent night vision and are effective hunters in the dark.